No. 3.-Evening Dress.

A round robe, with short train of claret-coloured crape or muslin; a fluted riband round the bottom of the same colour; a French stomacher front of white satin, either plain or laced with silver cord, and trimmed with narrow vandyke lace, which is continued round the back and shoulders; a white satin long sleeve, edged as the stomacher, or with a deep antique cuff of lace. A square mantle of white net, embroidered in large spots or small stars of silver, and edged with vandyke trimming; sometimes this graceful appendage is formed entirely of lace, at others of gossamer satin, edged with swansdown. A Spanish hat of white sattin, with frosted silver plume and loop. Pearl necklace, earrings, bracelets, and armlets. White satin shoes, with silver embroidered toes. Gloves of French kid; and opera fan of carved amber,

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

ON THE FASHIONS FOR THE SEASON,

SELECTED FROM THE MOST ELEGANT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE

SOURCES.

ALTHOUGH the walking, or carriage costume, has undergone little change as to their material or general construction, yet some few elegarat novelties have been introduced, which claim, from their unique formation, the attention of our fair correspondents. The first which we shall notice is a walking, or rather carriage habit, formed in a high round robe of fine Merino cloth, the colour Spanish fly. This robe is formed a walking length, with long sleeves, and square Spanish mantle of the same, flowing over the back and shoulders. All the points and terminations of the robe and mantle are ornamented with a fancy border of chenille in shaded greens, finished with a narrow base of black velvet. At the extremity of the throat it has a plaited winged frill of point lace, in vandyke or scollop. A small bonnet of the jockey form, composed of the same materials, ornamented with edging, and band of variegated green feathers. A short lace veil of French point, and half boots of green kid, or velvet laced with black, completes this very attractive and elegant dress.

Pelisses are now often formed with scarfs and short mantles of the same, of Spanish fly, Saragossa brown, or fine purple cloth, or gold-coloured velvet; they are trimmed with spotted ermine, or other skin, or with the shaded border of floss silk. The Exile mantle is now much in esteem, and possesses much unstudied elegance. It is composed of fine Vigonia cloth of a very dark greep, lined throughout with rose-coVOL. I.

3 U

loured, or amber sarsnet; and which being doubled over at the edges, forms a lively contrast to the fur with which it is trimmed about a nail beyond. This elegant mantle is constructed with a high puckered collar, clasped at the throat with silver, gold, or cut steel. It sits close to the figure in form of a wrap on one side; and on the other (which is rounded) it is folded by the disposition of the hand, as fancy or necessity may direct. The Polish wrapping coat of cloth or velvet, lined and trimmed with fur is a very seasonable article, and well adapted to defend the fair wearer from the severity of the weather. White satin mantles trimmed with swansdown, and formed in the Exile style, are considered as elegant, wraps for the Opera. Large shawls and scarlet mantles are, however, still much worn on these occasions; with which the white fox, or swansdown tippet, also blends. The straw bonnet is still introduced as a winter article, in various forms, and ornamented with seasonable flowers and ribands. These coverings though exceedingly comfortable for the pedestrian fair, and simply pretty in themselves, are certainly best adapted for summer wear. It were an endless task, should we attempt to describe the various constructions which compose the velvet bonnets and hats which our fashionables display; suffice it that they are generally formed of the same material as the pelisse or mantle, and are either of the Spanish or helmet form, while some are in the small French style with full puckered fronts. They are ornamented with Chinese flos trimmings, lace, flowers, and sometimes with two short feathers. This latter article in various forms, is now a distinguishing article in full dress; indeed the dress hat (particularly the Spanish) is incomplete without this graceful appendage.

There is much elegance and novelty in the construction of both morning and evening robes at this season. By such females as are fond of the extremes of fashion, the waist is frightfully increased in length, but the most genteel and elegant women do not exceed a becoming medium. The bosoms and fronts of robes are generally much ornamented. The morning robe is most consistent and becoming when formed of white muslin, let in with lace beading in various fanciful forms in front of the bust. We have seen two of this style of robes, which remain unrivalled as to that chaste and simple elegance which should ever distinguish this species of decoration. They were each made high in the neck, and one was formed with a winged ruff in small half plaits, edged with narrow vandyke lace, and cuffs to correspond, a stomacher front laced with cord, and otherwise ornamented with lace beading, but one had a border round the bottom and up the front of the lotus in white net, the edges in tambour, with high winged collar, and cuffs of the same.

For full dress, gowns of cloth, velvet, and satin, are most in request at this season; though brocade sarsnet and muslin, and net over satin, blend with the elegant variety. The construction of these robes are various, some in velvet and fine imperial cloth, are bordered alternately with borders of chenille in embroidery; others are ornamented with gold or silver lace, with clasps and fringe to correspond; others are trimmed entirely with fine lace in antique.

Short Polanese robes of coloured gossamer net, over white satin under dresses, have a very light and elegant effect in the ball-room. The following dress struck us as exceedingly beautiful, and decorated females of considerable rank and much personal beauty. First, a round robe of fine white imperial cloth, trimmed round the bottom with a gold fringe; long sleeve of gold tissue, and deep antique cuff; gold embossed stomacher; diamond ornaments, with correspondent comb, and Spartan diadem. Secondly, a Convent robe of grass-green velvet, richly tamboured in borders of gold; a Spanish hat of white satin, with rich gold loops, and Spanish plume of variegated green feathers; white satin shoes, with gold embroidered toes. Thirdly, a plain round robe of pink or blossom-coloured satin, with long sleeve; a broad scolloped lace, laid plain round the feet a little above the hem; the same round the bosom and cuffs; an apliqued stomacher of point lace edged with pearl or white bugles; pearl necklace, earrings, and bracelets; hair à la Greque, with pearl comb. Fourthly, a Roman tunic of light-blue velvet, made high in the neck behind, with a deep double plaited ruff of vandyke lace, brought to a point at the centre of the bosom, and clasped with rich embossed silver ornaments thence to the feet; short sleeve the same as the vest, finished with silver lace or binding like that which borders the dress; a long sleeve of fine cobweb net placed over, and confined at the wrist with a diamond clasp ; neck and head ornaments to correspond, or a Spanish hat of frosted satin.

Scarlet robes are rather on the decline, or at best only belonging to the intermediate style of decoration, as does also the half kerchief for the hair. Jewellery is much worn in the hair by those ladies whose redundant tresses reject the cap; which latter article belongs (in full dress) exclusively to ladies advanced in years; these are generally formed of velvet, gold and silver tissue, or lace interspersed with satin or velvet. The necklace, or chain, is worn short, and the bracelet broad.

The most genteel colours are Saragossa brown, Spanish fly, purple and gold colour; although scarlet and morone are very general.

FOR THE PORT FOLIO.

THE FASHIONABLE WORLD.

FASHION, come; on me awhile
Deign, fantastic Nymph, to smile.

THE term, World, is in strict alliance with a vast variety of appropriate epithets. We are astonished at the wonders of the great world, and we smile at the fooleries and impertinence of the little. The busy world engrosses some of our attention, and toward the LITERARY WORLD, we gaze for hours together. Theologists talk much of an invisible world, and it is firmly and piously believed, that this sort of world is the best in the Universal System. Your pedant and your philosopher of the sixteenth century, affected in their solemn way, to speak, with great precision, of the Mundus Muliebris, or Female World. Modern Editors, Milliners, and Loungers, who are nothing like pedants or philosophers, descant at large in many a cream-coloured page on the dazzling beauties of the Fashionable World. Rustic, recluse, retired, and greyheaded, as OLIVER OLDSCHOOL most certainly is, yet from a variety of charming associations of faded youth and obsolete gallantry, he cannot help regarding this same fashionable world, with a high degree of complacency. When poor DRYDEN was almost in his dotage, he composed the following charming couplet:

Old as I am, for Ladies' love unfit,

The Power of Beauty I remember yet.

Now this is admirable, and expresses with all the Poet's energy the interest which every man of sensibility, however blunted by years, and misfortune, naturally feels, in whatever relates to LOVELY AND

ACCOMPLISHED WOMAN.

As we understand from divers and authentic sources, that this our Magazine is sometimes peeped at by the brilliant belle, as well as by the solemn hermit, and the sage philosopher; therefore in gratitude for our good reception at toilets and in saloons, we should fail in our fealty to the Fair, if we did not devote some of our pages to the amusement and edification of the Ladies. In no city, town, or hamlet of this our most fortunate and favoured country, can brighter Beauty, or more enchanting Graces be found, than what we have the privilege of gazing at, from our study window. Philadelphia is the Circassia of the new

World; and boasts of bewitching Beings, youthful as HEBE, gay as IRIS, or majestic as JuNo.

When drudging Application is in perpetual alliance with daring Genius, the duplicate Power overcomes every obstacle. So when the Perfection of Art comes up to the aid of blushing and beauteous Nature, the effect is irresistible, and the Triumph complete.

To effect this union is the object of the preceding article, which may be considered by our fair friends, as

"The glass of Fashion, and the mould of Form."

In the capital of Great Britain, are two publications of the most splendid character, and almost exclusively devoted to the Fashionable World. We allude to the Court Magazine by Bell, and the Repository by Akerman. These exhibit a regular history of the progress of Fashion, and their conductors watch most vigilantly "all the wild vicissitudes of Taste."

We have access to these splendid pamphlets, sooner perhaps, than any other readers in America. By a remarkably correct and systematic arrangement, it is in our power to diffuse a knowledge of the various modes of dress, nearly as soon, as they are adopted abroad. The modish costume of the month, or season, is generally illustrated by a superb engraving. This we shall occasionally emulate, as far as is practicable; and we will fairly appeal to our fair friends, if the annexed plate, descriptive of a Spanish dress, is not equal in effect to the finest flow of Grecian drapery.

N. B. Lest it should be unjustly thought, or injuriously asserted, that we are departing widely from our proper province, and that our recondite studies totally unqualify us to shine in this gay department, we assure our readers that we are so diffident of our skill in these intricate affairs, that we never act, without consulting the constituted authorities, and that many learned ladies, not to mention French and other Milliners, are frequently of our council.